


The F1 Secret Santa 2019

by motorsport_metalhead



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Gen, Secret Santa, more characters will be added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-08
Packaged: 2021-02-22 13:48:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22116913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motorsport_metalhead/pseuds/motorsport_metalhead
Summary: Christmas time is near. Time for the F1 paddock to prepare another Secret Santa. This includes Daniel being Daniel, Carlos crying because of his gift, the Rookies being crazy, and an unforgettable Christmas party.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	1. Drawing names

**Author's Note:**

> Yes... I know, I know. Christmas time is over, but at least it's still winter time, so it still kinda fits?? I just really liked the idea and hope I can finish it :))

It was a hot Thursday afternoon in Austin, when Nico‘s PR agent walked up to him, tapping his shoulder. „Hey Nico“, he said, looking up from his phone, „I‘m sorry for having to ruin your free afternoon, but Michelle just sent me a message. They want all of you in the big conference room by 3:30“  
„Who‘s Michelle?“, asked Nico, following him to the big building connected to the pits. He didn‘t want to be late, who knows what kind of stuff he‘d miss. Maybe just another briefing, maybe something important, who knew.  
„Michelle, the Libery Media PR Manager. She was there when you guys did the Grill the Grid video last year too. Do you remember her? They probably want to do some other stuff for Social Media with all the drivers. If I were you I‘d rather hurry. The sooner you‘re there the sooner you find out what will happen“  
Nico nodded, he wasn‘t quite sure if he remembered her, but he‘d find out soon. It was right then when they crossed path with Sebastian, probably on his way to the conference room too.  
„Hey Seb“, said Nico to his fellow German, „Wie geht‘s?“  
„Oh it‘s alright. Hanna is just a little moody, but that will be better when the baby if finally there I guess. Do you have a clue what we are supposed to do now tho? I just heard that they want all drivers there“, answered Sebastian in German.  
„I have no idea either. Maybe another PR thing we all have to work on, or another F1 live event during the winter break?“

They weren‘t the first ones to arrive, in the back of the room the rookies were already sitting together, all looking at something on Lando‘s phone and giggling. Lando had one of his legs laid out on the chair next to him. Probably he was reserving this spot for Carlos. Sebastian was already sitting in the front, waving when Kimi and Antonio entered the room. Kimi joined Seb in the front while Antonio sat down together with Charles and Pierre who entered the room together.

Nico decided to take a seat in the second row, leaving space on both sides in case someone wanted to sit with him. It didn‘t take long until Robert sat down on his right side. He gave the other man a nod, before checking the time on his phone. It was exactly 3:30 now, but Lewis and Daniel were still missing. Right when a young blonde woman walked up to the front with a bowl in her hand they both entered the room, breathing heavily.  
„Sorry for being late, I hadn‘t been at the track yet and got stuck in traffic“, explained Daniel smilind widely. No one could ever be truly mad at this smile, no matter what he had done. Lewis just silently sat down in the corner of the room, while Daniel took the seat left next to Nico.  
„Did I miss anything?“, asked he. Nico shook his head.

Then Michelle began to speak: „So, since we all are here now, we can finally start. Some of you will probably remember the Secret Santa we did in 2017?“  
Of course they did. Well, everyone who participated. But it was hilarious, and part of the drivers actually got nice gifts.  
„We want to do the same thing again this year, but with all the drivers participating. So you all will come up to the front and draw one name from the bowl, if you have drawn your own name put it back in and take another one“

One after one they lined up in front of Michelle, drawing names. Some people seemed to be excited, some groaned when they read the name on the paper. But to be fair Nico could understand them. While he got along with all drivers quite well, he had no idea what he could get most of them as a present for the Secret Santa. This will definitely be fun.


	2. Chapter 2 - swapping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is finally here! And there are more to come!  
> Also I wanna say thank you for the comment and the Kudos!

Sebastian looked down on the note in his hand, unsure what to do. Yes, he had heaps of time ti find a present for him, but what should he get? He knew next to nothing about Lando. They have never been close just due to the age difference between them, and also didn‘t share any friends in the paddock.  
The sound of his phones‘ ringtone ripped him out of his train of thoughts. „Kimi is calling“, announced the display. Seb frowned. What did Kimi want? It wasn‘t unusual for them to call, but not right in the middle of the day. Usually they both were busy at that time, training with their physiotherapists, or playing with the kids. But Sebastian was alone at home right now. Antti was sick with a cold, and tried his best to get better before the next race approached, and Hanna decided to visit her parents with the kids.  
„Hey Kimi!“, said Sebastian when he picked up the phone. Maybe Kimi could distract him for some more time, keeping him away from the chores which needed to be done, but he really didn‘t feel like either doing the dishes nor sweeping the floor.  
„Hey“ Kimi sounded a little disinterested, or maybe even annoyed. Seb coudln‘t quite tell the emotion without seeing the Finns face. „Someone, and I really don‘t want to say who it is, told me to call you and ask whose name you got. Looks like some people want to swap names“  
„But that‘s against the rules of Secret Santa!“, exclaimed Sebastian. On the other hands side, maybe a swap wasn‘t too bad now, since he had no idea what he could get for Lando… And there was just one person he could think of who could ask Kimi to call his ex teammate asking him if he wanted to swap his name for the Secret Santa.  
„Was it Antonio?“ Seb tried to recall who in the paddock even had access to his phone number. It weren‘t many people, and all of them were rather part of the old guys. If anyone of them wanted to swap they‘d call him directly for sure. And Antonio was probably the only one of the rookies who dared to ask Kimi, the iceman himself, for help with such a thing.  
„The kindergarten asked him to ask me to ask you“, explained me. Oh yeah, Lando, Alex and George. The three of them together really were as predictable as a group of toddlers, having new crazy ideas any time you leave them unsupervised. „I think it Antonio said it was Alex who was unhappy with his choice specifically“, added Kimi, but he sounded unsure.  
Sebastian was sure this whole conversation would just turn into one huge game of Chinese whispers. Alex told Antonio to tell Kimi to tell Seb that he wanted someone to swap names, and he will tell Kimi to tell Antonio to tell Alex that that was against the rules and it would probably just be messy… He sighed, trying to work out something in his head.  
„Do you know who Alex got? Because I think he will be a better Secret Santa for my name than me“ Alex and Lando have constantly been hanging out this year, and also spent time together during their junior years. He would find a good present instantly.  
„I think he got Valtteri, but I ain‘t sure“, explained Kimi, „If you want to I can send him a message and ask?“  
Oh, Valtteri. Well, that was something Sebastian could work better with than with Lando. And in the worst case Kimi was probably able to help too. No particular idea came to his mind right now, but the clouds of confusion in his mind were clearer than the ones he had when thinking about Lando.  
Sebastian could hear Kimi chuckle on the other end of the line. „Apparently Lando and George took it upon themselves to find out whose name everyone got. They messaged nearly all of us and asked… Those goddamn kids are getting to greedy. Someone should go and tell them that Santa is bringing the presents, and if they don‘t calm down again they‘ll just get coal!“  
Now both of them laughed. Every time Sebastian heard of another thing the three rookies did on social media he was more and more glad that he didn‘t have any. If it was really important or funny he knew that Kimi would keep him updated.

„Now they are asking in the group chat. They really are worse than Robin. And you know what Robin is like when he knows he‘ll get a present“  
„And let me guess“, asked Sebastian, „You will tell them to behave now? Like any good parent would?“ Seb nearly choked on his laughter, just imagining Kimi lecturing the young guys was hilarious to him.  
„Of course I will, and you know that. And in addition to that I‘ll tell everyone that whoever got any of their names should just get them some coal. But if you want to I can give you Alex‘ number if you still want to swap names?“  
„Oh that‘s fine I think. I just hope that I will be kept out of all your groupchats and stuff. I doubt I want to live through this mess on a daily basis. I mean just look at what happened in the past what? Ten minutes?“, Sebastian coudln‘t quite believe it when he thought about it. Would he have treated Michael Schumacher this way when he came to F1 when he had the chance? Probably not, but the times have changed. And while Kimi seemed to enjoy the new possibilities he got through social media now, Sebastian was glad he was out of this.

After that they kept chatting for some more time while Sebastian did the dishes, which took less time than expected. Well, he was the only one in the house, which also was the only reason why he didn‘t use the dishwasher. It would take way too long to fill it up as a single person.  
Sebastian hung up the phone after one hour, and discovered that he had gotten a new text message. He didn‘t recognize the number, but it was British. Once he opened the message he read Hey Sebastian, Antonio told me that Kimi told him that you would swap names with me. If that‘s really true I‘d appreciate a text back, Alex  
Yes, the game of Chinese whispers really was a full success,k and it impressed him that Alex still got the message exactly as it had left his mouth.  
He thought for a second, trying to think of something to text back. In the end he sent Yeah, that‘s true. To be fair I think you will get Lando a way better present than me. Then he saved the Brits number to his contacts.  
The next text he got was filled with excitement and joy. Apparently they narrowed the possibilities of who had drawn each others names down to just a few drivers, and Lance didn‘t want to swap with Alex, even after admitting that he had indeed drawn Georges name. So Sebastian agreeing to swap must seem like winning th lottery for Alex.

Kimi was also right about his Chinese whispers. Alex has indeed drawn Valtteris name. So this would make the game a little easier for both of them, and Sebastian had finally broken the rules of Secret Santa, broken them even twice, which was something he never even dared to think about as a kid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, feedback is appreciated :)


End file.
